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Document 52017DP0307
European Parliament decision of 6 July 2017 on setting up a special committee on terrorism, its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office (2017/2758(RSO))
European Parliament decision of 6 July 2017 on setting up a special committee on terrorism, its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office (2017/2758(RSO))
European Parliament decision of 6 July 2017 on setting up a special committee on terrorism, its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office (2017/2758(RSO))
OJ C 334, 19.9.2018, p. 189–192
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
19.9.2018 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 334/189 |
P8_TA(2017)0307
Setting up a special committee on terrorism, its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office
European Parliament decision of 6 July 2017 on setting up a special committee on terrorism, its responsibilities, numerical strength and term of office (2017/2758(RSO))
(2018/C 334/22)
The European Parliament,
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having regard to the proposal for a decision of the Conference of Presidents, |
— |
having regard to Rule 197 of its Rules of Procedure, |
A. |
whereas the European Union has clear competences in ensuring a high level of security under Article 67 TFEU, and the national authorities have competences in the fight against terrorism, as stated in Article 73 of the TFEU; and there are wider obligations in respect of cross border cooperation as stated in Title V of the TFEU on police and judicial cooperation related to the internal security of the European Union; |
B. |
whereas the outcome of the special committee hereby set up should be to address the practical and legislative deficiencies in the fight against terrorism across the European Union and with international partners and actors, with a particular focus on cooperation and exchange of information; |
C. |
whereas addressing the deficiencies and gaps in cooperation and information exchange between national law enforcement authorities, as well as the interoperability of European information sharing databases is of the utmost importance for both ensuring the good functioning of the Schengen Area and for the protection of EU’s external border, and should constitute the core of the mandate of the special committee; |
D. |
whereas respect for fundamental rights is an essential element in successful counter-terrorism policies; |
1. |
Decides to set up a special committee on terrorism, vested with the following strictly defined responsibilities:
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2. |
Stresses that any recommendation of the special committee shall be followed-up by the competent standing committees; |
3. |
Decides that the powers, staff and available resources of Parliament’s standing committees with responsibility for matters concerning the adoption, monitoring and implementation of EU legislation relating to the area of responsibility of the special committee shall remain unchanged; |
4. |
Decides that, whenever the special committee work includes the hearing of evidence of a classified nature, testimonies comprising personal data or secrets, or includes the exchange of views or hearings with authorities and bodies on secret, confidential, classified or sensitive information for national security or public security purposes, the meetings should be held in camera; decides that witnesses and experts shall have the right to make a statement or to provide testimony in camera; |
5. |
Decides that secret or confidential documents which have been received by the special committee shall be examined under the procedure set out in Rule 210a of its Rules of Procedure to ensure that only the Chair, rapporteur, shadow rapporteurs, coordinators and designated officials have personal access to them, and that such information shall be used exclusively for the purposes of drawing up the mid-term and final reports of the special committee; decides that meetings shall be held on premises equipped in such a way as to make it impossible for any non-authorised persons to listen to the proceedings; |
6. |
Decides that, prior to accessing the classified information, or hearing evidence that risks damaging national security or public security, all Members and officials shall receive security clearance in accordance with the existing internal rules and procedures; |
7. |
Decides that the information obtained by the special committee shall be used solely for the performance of its duties and shall not be disclosed to third parties; decides that such information shall not be made public if it contains material of a secret or confidential nature or names persons; |
8. |
Decides that the special committee shall have 30 members; |
9. |
Decides that the term of office of the special committee shall be 12 months, except where Parliament extends that period before its expiry, and that its term of office shall start running from the date of its constituent meeting; decides that the special committee shall present to Parliament a mid-term report and a final report containing factual findings and recommendations concerning the measures and initiatives to be taken. |
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1987/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) (OJ L 381, 28.12.2006, p. 4).
(2) Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on a Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code) (OJ L 77, 23.3.2016, p. 1).
(3) Council Decision 2008/615/JHA of 23 June 2008 on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime (OJ L 210, 6.8.2008, p. 1).
(4) Council Framework Decision 2006/960/JHA of 18 December 2006 on simplifying the exchange of information and intelligence between law enforcement authorities of the Member States of the European Union (OJ L 386, 29.12.2006, p. 89).
(5) Council Decision 2007/533/JHA of 12 June 2007 on the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) (OJ L 205, 7.8.2007, p. 63).
(6) Council Decision 2005/671/JHA of 20 September 2005 on the exchange of information and cooperation concerning terrorist offences (OJ L 253, 29.9.2005, p. 22).
(7) Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA of 13 June 2002 on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States (OJ L 190, 18.7.2002, p. 1).
(8) Council Decision 2009/371/JHA of 6 April 2009 establishing the European Police Office (Europol) (OJ L 121, 15.5.2009, p. 37).
(9) Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and replacing and repealing Council Decisions 2009/371/JHA, 2009/934/JHA, 2009/935/JHA, 2009/936/JHA and 2009/968/JHA (OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, p. 53).
(10) Council Directive 2008/114/EC of 8 December 2008 on the identification and designation of European critical infrastructures and the assessment of the need to improve their protection (OJ L 345, 23.12.2008, p. 75).
(11) Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA (OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 57).
(12) Directive 2005/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2005 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist financing (OJ L 309, 25.11.2005, p. 15).